


Equality, Victory, Celebration

by icandrawamoth



Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - America, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Same-Sex Marriage, secret engagement
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-30
Updated: 2014-01-30
Packaged: 2018-01-10 14:16:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1160662
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/icandrawamoth/pseuds/icandrawamoth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Les Amis gather to hear whether their state's marriage equality bill has been passed and react accordingly.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Equality, Victory, Celebration

**Author's Note:**

> So this has literally been in my head since my neighbor state of Minnesota legalized same-sex marriage in August, and I just now finally sat down and wrote it. Ugh, lazymuch. Also, I don't know much about politics or what this kind of announcement would actually look like, so just roll with it.

The announcement is set to happen at five o’clock, and Combeferre doesn’t get out of his last class until ten to. He has been staring at the clock for the entire period, hardly absorbing any of his chemistry lecture. As soon as the professor announces the class to be over, Combeferre ducks out the door and runs across campus, bookbag smacking heartily against his side the whole way, letting himself into the dorm and stepping into the common room just as his watch ticks over the hour.

“Did I miss it?” he asks breathlessly of the group of anxious, eager faces that turn to greet him. The entire group is here together to hear the results of the vote which is so important to them. The marriage equality bill they have done all they can to support with their canvassing, letter-writing, petitioning, sweat, and tears. Joly, Bossuet, and Musichetta are a tangle of limbs on one end of the couch nearest the TV, Feuilly and Bahorel at the other, hands clasped tightly. Behind them on the second couch sit Marius and Cosette. Courfeyrac has clamed the comfiest chair for himself, Jehan cuddled into his lap. Enjolras perches in the chair on the other side of the room, every line of his body taught with nerves as he waits for victory or failure. Even Grantaire is huddled in the corner of the room on the floor, clutching his customary bottle of beer, even though the first floor where they are now is a substance-free living community and drinks of any kind aren’t allowed in the TV room anyway.

“They haven’t said yet,” Enjolras says, not looking away from the TV, and Combeferre can’t help a rush of fondness for him. Even now when he can do nothing more to affect the outcome, he is so focussed, so intense. Combeferre goes to him, leaning down for a quick kiss of greeting. He barely gets a response, but he can’t fault him for it, not now. He takes the only empty seat in the room next to Marius, knowing Enjolras doesn’t like to be crowded, and they all train their eyes back on the screen.

An expert consultant has been talking about the effect the legal effects the passing of the bill will have on employers when the anchor politely cuts him off to say that the result is ready to be announced. The picture switches to a feed from the capital, a room full of men in suits, one at a podium holding a piece of paper and ready to speak.

The boys and girls in the room all hold their breath in anticipation. This is the moment they have waited for.

“With a 37-30 vote,” the man on the screen announces solemnly, “the State senate has _passed_ the marriage equality bill.”

The politician goes on, explaining the deliberations that had gone on in the voting and his high hopes for the future, but Combeferre can hear none of it over the whoops of joy and victory that suddenly fill the room. His friends are grinning wildly at one another, hugging and kissing fiercely. Warmth floods his own chest, and he doesn’t bother trying to suppress his wide smile as he looks over at Enjolras.

His boyfriend is radiant in victory, beaming proudly, eyes bright. He looks anything but the marble statue he is sometimes accused of being. His eyes meet Combeferre’s, and he can feel the electric tingle that passes between them. Before either of them can speak, though, there’s a gasp from across the room and everything goes suddenly quiet.

Confused, Combeferre looks over. Everyone has stopped moving and are looking to where Jehan now sits alone in his chair, Courfeyrac on one knee on the carpet in front of him, holding up a tiny black velvet box. Jehan’s hands are pressed to his mouth in surprise, eyes welling with tears.

“Will you?” Courfeyrac’s soft voice carries across the silent room.

“Of course,” Jehan whispers, pushing himself from the chair to wrap his arms around his boyfriend – now fiancé. “Of course I will.”

The room erupts again in claps and shouts of congratulations. Full of happiness for his friends, Combeferre applauds along with them before glancing over at Enjolras once more. His boyfriend, too, couldn’t look happier. Their gazes meet again, and Combeferre’s hand trails up to touch a spot on his shirt, the small o-shaped lump on a chain which has rested there for months now, unseen by the others. He remembers vividly the night Enjolras gave it to him, alone in their room, murmuring _We’ll get there, sooner or later. I don’t care how long it takes._

Combeferre’s eyes ask the question. _Should we tell them?_

Enjolras’s gaze is impossibly gentle, impossibly happy, and Combeferre wants nothing more in that moment than to take him in his arms and kiss him. Enjolras looks away, and Combeferre follows his gaze to where Courfeyrac is slipping the ring onto Jehan’s finger and kissing him, full of love and tenderness, a promise. Enjolras smiles as he looks back at Combeferre, mirroring his fiancé to touch his own hidden ring.

_Let them have their moment._


End file.
